Revelations of Johanna Mason
by TheNextDahl
Summary: Set after the war, this story tells the tale of Johanna's family, who were killed by the Capitol, and of a daughter, Annaleise, who was stolen by President Snow at birth, and apparently killed in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. But, when Annie throws her out, Johanna moves in with Gale, and meets a girl whom has some secrets to tell.


THE HUNGER GAMES: REVELATIONS OF JOHANNA MASON

I walk up to the door and knock it enthusiastically. Today is the day I finally get to meet the baby boy all of Panem is talking about. I've recovered from the war quite well, however there are physical and emotional scars that, understandably, will permanently remain. After a minute of two, Annie opens the door, Finnick Jr tucked tight in her arms.

"Aww, isn't he adorable!" I exclaim. I act natural, but the truth is, I've never seen a baby in my life. But he is unmistakeably gorgeous. He has a little bit of hair, which is exactly the same shade as Annie's. He has Finnick's beautiful sea-green eyes. A tear wells in my eye to see them reborn.

"Well, come in!" Annie grins.

We talk non-stop for a few hours, and it's clear that whatever madness she had during the war, she'd shaken it off. She's better, I'm better,. Panem's better.

"Oh, he's awake!" Annie whispers. "Do you want to hold him?" I nod, smiling , a tear in my eye and she hand him over gently. I cradle him in my arms.

"Hello Finn." I say to him. He open his eyes and they sparkle at me softly. He lifts his tiny hand and grips it around my little finger. His whole hand, around one of my fingers. It's such a special feeling. Tears escape my eyes.

"Are you okay?" Annie asks.

"Please, take him, I'm sorry, take him." I hand Finn back.

"It's alright, Johanna, but whatever's the matter?" She asks concernedly.

"I used to have a husband, but then the Capitol killed him, and I was pregnant at the time. But then as soon as I gave birth, the Capitol took her away. Then I got a visit from Snow a few years later. He told me she'll be on TV soon. I knew what he meant. She was in The Hunger Games, the seventy-fourth, as was Katniss. She represented District 5, her name was Annaliese Mason, that's what I called her. She was living through hell in those games, she was starving to death, until she stole Nightlock from Peeta, ate them and died. But she knew something more. In her training, he became a plant expert. She knew what Nightlock was. She killed herself Annie, and I only ever saw her once, when she was a tiny one like him, and it just brings back so many bad memories." I sob miserably.

"Sorry Johanna." Annie whispers comfortingly.

"It's not your fault, Anne, it's not your fault." I reply, drying my tears. "I'm going to go home now, I'm sorry Annie."

"It's fine, Jo, it's absolutely fine. Where are you living now?" She asks sweetly. My home. How could I possibly tell her? I live in a shack, a tiny little hut, similar to the one Katniss used to live in. The Capitol destroyed my Victor's home when I became a rebel.

"Oh, District 7, still." I reply.

"In what conditions?" She asks. I tell her everything. "come and live with me, Jo. Please, I can't have you living in a mess like that, you'll be so ill!" She pleads. Eventually I give in and she shows me my room, where I sit, in silence, staring at the wall. The image of Annaleise's corpse is haunting my mind. I see her mouth stained with the juice of Nightlock. I decided to go to sleep, but when the darkness draws in it only reminds me of her, sat in a cave, starving slowly, wishing death would dawn soon.

Months passed and Finnick grew quickly. It's December now, and Finn is almost a double of his father, crawling around. We bought him a toy, which he adores and takes everywhere with him. It's a plastic trident. Soon, me and Annie will tell him the legendary tale of his heroic father. One day, Annie sits me down and starts talking formal.

"Jo, you've done so much for Finn, you're like his saviour, the father he never had. I'm going to get him christened soon, so I'd like to ask you to be godmother." She announced. It's such an honour. Tears begin in my eyes.

"Really? Me?" Annie nods. I jump up and hug her. "Thank you so much! Who's going to be the other godparents?" I ask.

"Well, there's Katniss and Peeta, obviously. And I'm going to ask Gale."

I don't know how to react.

"Are you sure you'll be able to get Katniss and Gale in a room together?" I ask.

"Look, it wasn't Gale's fault the bombs were let off, it was Coin's orders!" Annie shouts.

"Katniss doesn't think of it like that Annie!" I argue.

"Well I do, and I'll make her see sense! Annie screeches, waking Finn up.

I walk away, I go out for a walk, fuming, but I also feel guilty for arguing with Annie. I decide it's time to put things straight. I hop onto my hovercraft and head for District 12. It's time to see Katniss.

I land outside the re-built bakery. Katniss walks outside to see who it is.

"Johanna!" She exclaims. "How are you! It's been months! Come in, come in!"

"I'm not here for a happy reunion. I'm here to set the record straight." I say. She looks confused.

"Gale did not kill Prim! It was Coin's orders to kill the kids with the bombs, and Prim shouldn't have been there." I shout.

"Maybe you're right. But why now, why're you telling me this now?" She asks.

"Finnick Jr is being christened soon and Annie has asked me to be a godmother, she wants you and Peeta as godparents, and Gale as a godfather." I tell her.

"I'll go. I'll go for Finn, not for Gale. Don't expect me to have any contact with him." She replies sensibly.

"Thank you." I say, getting on my hovercraft and heading back to District 4.

Annie is furious when I tell her. To me it was a favour, but she doesn't see it that way. We argue for hours until she finally shouts.

"I'M SICK OF YOUR INTERFERING! I WANTED TO ASK THEM MYSELF, PERSONALLY! GET OUT! GET OUT!" She throws me out of the door into the winter snow. "I'LL SEE YOU AT THE CHRISTENING, THEN I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" I sit and sob in the snow. I've lost my home, but even worse, I've lost the little boy who is my only reminder of my best friend.

"You okay down there?" A male voice asks. I look up to see the only one who could possibly comfort me in this time of need.

"Hi, Gale." I smile.

Gale takes me home to District 2, where he lets me stay with him. He's also taken in a girl called Anne, whom I become very attached too. She's from District 3, and she too was once taken prisoner by Snow. She was kidnapped from her District and tortured. She doesn't like to think about it, though, so we let her be when it comes to the Capitol. But Gale's home is lovely, and I'm delighted he's taken me in. A few moths go by before me and Anne get to know each other properly. And it's not a very comfortable identity for her.

"Hi, Anne." I begin the conversation over tea.

"Hey, Jo." She replies shyly.

"So, what was your District like?" I try to focus a subject, but it really doesn't work.

"I've no idea. I was taken as a baby." She confesses.

"But what about your mother?" I ask.

"You tell me." She whispers. She begins to cry. "It's me! It's Annaliese! Snow forced the girl in the games to take my name! My cover story is that I'm a District 3 girl, the Capitol demands it!" She cries.

"Annie, Annie baby, it's okay. I understand. But the Capitol are gone now, sweetie. Take your real name, please." I beg her.

"But I only know I'm Anne. I don't know my name, I only know it was you because, because, because of that night!" She tells me the story of the devastating night.

"I escaped from my cell, I roamed Snow's mansion, where I was kept. I wandered into a strange room. You were on TV in the games. Peacekeepers caught me. They told me tales of my long-lost mother whilst they whipped me viciously. I knew you were Johanna Mason. I could hear President Snow announcing the Victor from the dungeon. 'Johanna Mason, District 7'. I was so proud of my mum. I was just seven years old, hearing the cheers for you. Now I can finally tell you what I longed to tell you those eight years ago. Well done, mummy." She said. We were both teary now. The revelation had stunned me so badly, I thought I'd never recover.

The weeks went by and we adapted to family life. One day, she comes home from school with a trip letter. I sign it and she takes it in happily. They're visiting the nut. Surely it's still fragile from the rebel attack. Well, if the school will take them, I'm sure it's safe.

On the day of the trip, I turn on the TV and I'm shocked out of my mind at the headline 'NUT COLLAPSES ON SCHOOL TRIP'. I scream so loud you'd probably be able to hear it at the Nut. Gale rushes in.

"What is it? What's happening?" He asks frantically.

"Annaleise. She went on a trip to the Nut and it collapsed!" I sob.

"Woah woah woah! She'll be alright! Come on, we'll go to the nut, see it's condition, then they'll rescue her and we can all come home!" He crouches beside me. I nod and we run down the road up to the Nut.

We don't make it far, police have surrounded it completely. We see fire erupting from the top.

"It's not a volcano, is it?" I ask urgently.

"No. That's outer penetration." He runs forward into the crowd, leaving me on my own. He returns a few minutes later. "I tried to see if they'd let me help, but there's no luck." He said. All of a sudden, an aircraft flew across the sky.

"Oh god no." I whisper as it drops bombs on the Nut and retreats.

"Gale, the emblem, I know that emblem!" I shout.

"What?" He replies confusedly.

"The symbol on those aircrafts. They weren't just planes. They were from the, the… the Capitol…"


End file.
